Bathtub



- Filed Jan. 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5

INVENTOR. WILLIA M H. BOWDEN Jan. 5, 1960 w. H. BOWDEN 2,919,449

BATHTUB Filed Jan. 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet s JNVENTOR.

W/LL/AM H. BOWDE/V ATTORNEY United States BATHTUB William H. Bowden, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to Alliance- Ware, Inc., Alliance, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application January 9, 1959, Serial No. 787,318

. 9 Claims. (Cl. 4-173) This invention relates to a free-hanging bathtub and bathtub installation. The rim of the tub is turned down and then back and is provided along its edge with one or more downwardly extending clips or tabs for use in attachment of an apron thereto.

'Before the aprons are attached, the tubs can be palletized. This saves space in warehousing, and when tubs are shipped before the aprons are attached, it saves shipping space. Also, economy is effected on the production line where the aprons are fastened to the tubs because in disassembly of the pallet package labor is saved and there are no crates to be disposed of.

In most houses the plumbing connected with a bathtub is located adjacent a wall in which is a small door which opens on the other side of the wall into a closet or some out-of-the-way place where it is little observed. This door is removed to gain access to the plumbing. In such bathtub installations the apron is rigidly fastened to the bathtub; as by welding, and the one or more tabs of this invention are useful in such installations by locating a turned-back flange at the top of the apron against them.

'In trailers and the like it is not practical to provide access to the .plumbing by means of an opening through a wall, so the tub is constructed with a movable, and preferably a removable, apron. Slots are provided in the top flange of each apron of this invention for such a tub and these slots embrace the tabs. The apron is thus movableor even removable to provide access to its plumbing.

The tub is a free-hanging tub which is supported by its rim and when in use it is also supported by its apron. Where the apron is movable or removable it can be swung outwardly on the tabs, and even be disengaged from the tabs, to give access to the plumbing behind it, and there is stop, means to prevent the bottom of the apron from swinging too far toward the tub. ,A removable molding or the like is fastened to the floor at the bottom of the outer face of the apron to prevent its swinging outward. To gain access to the plumbing, this molding is removed and the apron is swung outwardly.v It is preferably dis- .engageable from the rim of the tub. This gives access to the'drain from the tub and to the water-supply pipes.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a section through the tub and the apron in front of'the tub, on the line 11 of Fig. 2, showing one means of movably attaching the apron to the tub and permitting the bottom of the tub to be swung forwardly;

Fig. 2. is afront view. of one end of this tub;

Fig. 3 is a section, on a reduced scale, through the rear of this tub and the wall supporting it;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing an alternative way of supporting the apron so that its bottom can be swung outwardly; i

.Fig. 5 is a plan view of the turned-under rim of the tub on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and shows in dotted lines a tab on which the apron pivots before it is bent to its final shape; i r Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bottom flange of the tu ice on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, showing alternative stop means to prevent the apron from swinging too far in toward the tub;

Fig. 7 shows in perspective a tub with the turned back flange of the apron welded to the underturned rim of the tub, with the edge of the apron flange against the tabs;

Fig. 8 is a view of the turned back rim and flange of the apron, and a tab on the former, as seen from the rear of the apron; and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of both Figs. 7 and 8.

In the manufacture of a bathtub the bell is drawn from sheet steel, usually a single sheet, and then the edges of the sheet are trimmed and bent. In the tubs of this invention the three edges which are to be adjacent the wall are turned up. The front edge is trimmed, and then turned back and under. This is the same for all tubs, whether the aprons are subsequently rigidly or movably attached. The tabs may be welded in place, but are preferably cut from the same sheet that forms the tub and rim, and are simply bent to position.

In the drawings the tub is shown with one end located against the Wall 1 which in a trailer may be a partition or an outside wall. This wall is perpendicular to the wall or partition 3 of Fig. 3. The tub 4 is fabricated across its front with a rim 5 which is bent down and then back to form the in-turned lip 6. This rim structure is strengthened by the corner plates 7 which are fit into each end of the in-turned rim. At the rear the rim 5 rests on the stringer 8 which is fastened to the wall 3, and supports part of the weight of the tub. The rim is turned up along the rear to form the splash guard 10. This may be covered by wallpaper, wallboard or the like, or it may be left exposed.

The tub is supported at the end shown in the drawings by a similar stringer 12 (Fig. 2) fastened to the wall 1. If the opposite end abuts a wall or partition it is similarly supported. The ends are provided with splash guards 14 which are continuations of the splash guard 10 and formed simultaneously with it by drawing the edge of the metal from which the tub is drawn.

The weight of the tub, when empty, is not great, and may be supported entirely by the stringers; it does not require the support of the apron. When the tub is filled or is occupied, the support of the apron is required.

The apron 20 is ordinarily fabricated with inwardly projecting top and bottom flanges 21 and 22. These form supporting surfaces which aid in carrying the weight of the tub. The aprons are advantageously made of pressed metal, with flanges 24 at the ends also, perpendicular to the front wall 25. These flanges 24 space the flanges 21 and 22, holding them parallel, and this strengthens the apron as it assists in the support of weight of the tub and its contents.

In the arrangement shown there are tabs 30 welded at intervals to the inturned horizontal portion 6 of the rim. These may be fastened to the top or bottom of this horizontal portion. The downwardly projecting portions of these tabs extend through slot openings 32 in the top flange 21 of the apron.

The apron does not extend to the floor, but there is a loose flat-topped block of wood or the like 35 which preferably extends the whole length of the apron located between the bottom flange 22 of the apron and the floor 36. This block is removable. There is a long stop 38 at the rear of the apron which limits the extent to which the bottom of the apron can be pushed backwardly toward the tub. The apron is held back against this stop by the molding 40 which extends along the entire front of the apron. It is held in place by nails 42. Other attaching means can be used. The stop 38 need not be a continuous piece extending the entire length of the apron,

but several short stops may be used. Likewise, the molding 40 need not extend the entire length of the apron, although this is generally most suitable from an artistic standpoint and will prevent dirt, etc. from accumulating under the apron and in back of it.

In installing the tub it is placed on the stringers. It is then possible to accurately determine the location of the back edge of the apron; and the stop or stops 33 are fastened to the floor. Then the apron is slipped into place with the tabs 30 projecting through the openings 32 in the upper flange 21. The bottom of the apron is swung back into place against the stops 38. The block or blocks 35 are then put in place, and next the molding 40 is nailed to the floor.

When it becomes necessary to gain access to the underside of the tub the molding 44 is removed, the block or blocks 35 are removed, and then the apron is swung out and disengaged from the tabs 30. When the matter needing attention has been taken care of, the apron is replaced, swung into place, and the block or blocks 35 and molding H are put back in place.

Figures 4 to 6 show an alternative construction. In this embodiment the tabs 59 serve the same purpose as the tabs 3t) of the prior figures, but they are formed as an integral part of the rim of the tub. After the bell of the tub is drawn, the rim is trimmed. Instead of cutting it on a straight line, two or three or more projections 58 are formed. These are then turned down, preferably as a part of the same operation in which the rim is bent down and under. The apron is held by these tabs in the same manner as the apron of Figs. 1-3 is held by the tab 30.

The bottom of the apron is turned under to form a flange that extends backwardly at an angle at 52 which is somewhat less than 90 degrees, to permit its inner edge to clear the floor when the apron is swung forward. This flange is provided with two or three or more slots 54. The slots 54 can be made wider than shown so as to provide ease of location gauging on the nails or other stop devices. Nails 55 are driven into the floor (or screws, etc. may be used), spaced the same as the slots so that when the apron is swung down it will not swing back toward the tub, beyond the perpendicular. Molding is fastened to the floor immediately in front of the bottom of the apron, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

When the tub is installed, the nails 55 are driven into the floor under the inturned edge of the rim, spaced to coincide with the slots in the bottom flange of the apron. The top of the apron is slipped over the tabs 56, and its bottom is swung backward with the slots 54 straddling the nails 55. When the apron has been swung back as far as it will go, the molding is fastened to the floor to hold it in place. To gain access to the plumbing, the foregoing procedure is reversed, and the apron is slipped off of the tabs.

Figures 7-9 show how the tabs are used to advantage in the manufacture of a tub in which the apron is welded to the rim. The tub 4 is the same tub as in the other figures of the drawing. The tabs 50 are formed of the sheet metal of which the tub is formed, they are integral with the turned-back rim 60. The flange 62 at the top of the apron 63 fits flush against this rim, and the two are welded together, as by the welds 65.

In fastening the apron to the tub, the tub is preferably first inverted. Then the apron, also inverted, is placed with its top flange resting on the exposed surface of the turned-back portion 60 of the rim. To align the front of the apron with the rim (whether the two coincide or the flange is ofl-set to form a hand hold of the projecting rim) the flange is pushed flush against the tabs. This brings the rear edges of the rim 60 and flange 62 into substantial alignment, and by welding (preferably at intervals along their edges) the apron is rigidly fastened to the rim.

Thus, a single tub is assembled with these two Very different types of aprons. Not only is the same equipment used for all the tubs (even to the means for shearing the edge of the rim), but manufacture is further simplified by the fact that there is only one type of tub to store and handle between the different manufacturing steps.

The drawing is illustrative. For instance, with respect to the tub with a movable apron, as shown in Figs. 13, the tabs 30 may be replaced by other means. Although the apron is preferably hingedly supported by the rim, as by the tabs 30, the rim may merely rest on the apron without there being any attachment between the two. The bottom of the tub is supported off the floor and generally the apron will extend below the bottom of the tub. The stop arrangement inside of the apron may be provided by any means, as desired. The block support or supports 35 may be made integral with the molding 40. Furthermore, although Figs. 1 to 3 show a tub with a turned-back rim, it is not necessary that the rim provide a turned-back portion to rest on the top of the apron; any portion of the rim may rest on the apron.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial Number 741,437, filed May 28, 1958 which in turn, is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial Number 642,131, filed February 25, 1957 (both now abandoned).

The invention is covered in the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. A bathtub with a rim across its front which is turned down and substantially horizontally back toward the tub, with tabs along the edge of the turned-back portion of the rim, which tabs are directed downwardly.

2. In combination with the bathtub of claim 1 in which the tabs are formed integrally with the rim, an apron with an inwardly turned top flange having openings therein which embrace the tabs.

3. In combination with the bathtub of claim 1 in which the tabs are formed integrally with the rim, an

apron with an inwardly turned top flange welded to the under surface of the turned-back portion of the rim, and with the inner edge of said flange abutting the tabs.

4. A bathtub installation which comprises a free-hanging bathtub with a rim along its back side which is supported by the wall, and a rim along its front side supported by an apron, the top of the apron being hingedly engaged with the rim at the front side of the tub, stop means which limits the swing of the bottom of the apron toward the tub, a molding removably fastened to the floor immedaitely in front of the bottom of the apron, the stop means comprising a plurality of spaced means fastened to the floor and the rear of an inturned flange on the bottom of the apron is provided with slots which straddle said spaced means.

5. A bathtub installation which comprises a free-hanging bathtub with a rim along its back side which is supported by the wall, and a rim along its front side supported by an apron, the apron being hingedly engaged with the rim at the front side of the tub, the apron having an inturned flange along its bottom, a block on the floor on which the flange rests, said block being at least as high under the flange as any portion thereof behind the flange, and stops on the floor behind the apron which prevents movement of the bottom of the apron toward the tub.

6. The installation of claim 5 in which the rim along the front edge of the tub is turned down and back, and this turned-back portion rests on the top of the apron.

7. The installation of claim 5 in which there is a molding removably fastened to the floor in front of the block, which molding covers the bottom of the front of the panel and prevents its being moved forward.

8. A bathtub with a rim across its front which is turned down and under with tabs formed integrally with the edge of the rim which are adapted for engagement with an apron which extends downwardly therefrom and rests on the floor.

9. In a bathtub with a rim part across its front which is turned down and substantially horizontally back toward the tub, and an apron part with an inwardly extending top flange, with said turned-back portion of the rim part and said flange of the apron part interengaged by at least one projecting means on one of said parts inserted in a corresponding opening in the other of said parts, the improvement which consists of said projecting means being integral with the part from which it projects, with said turned-back portion of the rim part resting upon and being in direct contact with said flange of the apron part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Canada July 5,

France Feb. 21, 

